Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
THE STORY OF a NIGHT.
BY W. I. ROUSE.

that she had heard Alright.
"Ten o'clock, she said, half aloud;
"quite time Jame were here" Rising, she
walked to the window and drew aside the
shade.
1t was wild night without; utterly dark
and storming fieycely, rs she could tell by
the clamor of the wind, rs with loud shrek
or prolonged roar 1T swept about the place.
She strove to peer into the darkness,
and shuddered rs she thought of the periis
to which belated wayfarer would be ex-
posed. The cold was intense, and the
drifts must be piled high along the way.
Then she raised the window slightly and
put out her hand, that she might feel the
force of the storm.
A fierce gust entered through the aper-
turc, sending the singing flakes of snow
against her face and arms. She closed the
window quickly and returned shivering to
her seat@before the fire.
James will not come home Tonight;
surely he will not venture" she said aloud,
as if to reassure herself and vanish any
fears that yentured to suggest themselves.
She drew her chair nearer the CRATE, and,
taking up her book, endeavored to resume
reading; but the subject had lostits interest
for her, and after time, she laid tho
book aside, and leaning her head upon her
hand, fell into a reverie.
She was widow, and her only son,
James Edgertoh, was the favorite physician
in the small western city in which they
lived.
He was all in all to her, and though
given to having her way with others, to
him she always yielded.
Late in the afternoon of this day ho had
been called out of town several miles to
see patient. Sire had begged him not to
90, but he was not TO be persuaded, and
promising to return the early part of the
evening. he had gone.
She was handsome woman, strong of
will, nerve, and body, if one might judge
from her face and form, and one not likely
to indulge strange fancies, pleasant Oh
otherwise; but tonight her thoughts
slipped from their wonted bonds ofcon-
troll and ran unpleasant riot through hcl
brain.
Common sense, to whom she was ir, the
habit of listening, told her that her SOL
would remain at the home of his patient
until the storm abated. But she forgot its
assurance, when Imagination pictured hin
snow-bound, or lost in one of the drifts
which she knew must block the way.
| At length she could remain quiet NJ
longer, and rising she stirred the, fire ant
put on more fuel, and soon the room
which had grown somewhat chilled, was
warmed by its bright glow.
! Filled with restlessness she could no
control, she paced the length of the room
back and forth, listening intently at inter.
vals, but distinguishing nothing but the
noise of the storm without.
An hour passed thus; then worn out will
her vigil, she laid down upon sofa op
posite the furnace and closed her eyes.
! After time, how long she knew not
she was aroused by the sound of the clos
ing of the outer door.
"James has come" she Thought, with
/ glad throb at her heart. Then steps cam,
through the hall-James' step. She heart
the sound of the latch rs it turned, the doc
Of the room opened; she felt the breath o
the cool outer air, and her son entered.
She rose to meet him, with glad or,
upon her lips, but the words refused t,
leave them. She could not move; an I'M
known force held her to the spot. She fel
herself freezing with terror she could no
understand, yet every faculty was alert an,
every nerve strained.
The physicians clothes were covere
with an icy coating of sleet. He wake,
TO the fire, without seeming TO see hi
mother, and stretched his hands out to tn
warmth. Soon he turned toward hel an
his face looked strange and still.
The clock struck one, and she noted th
stroke as people often note trivial thing
when they are dazed by sudden sorrow
trouble.
She stretched her arms toward him, ON
cried out his name.
She felt the cold touch of his lips upo
her forehead, then he faded from he
sight
For some moments she remained stand
ing, saying over to herself: "Itis dream.
At length, determined 10 prove to hersel
that what she had seen was the result of
disordered fancy, she tried the inner the
the outer door, both were locked as she ha
left them. She made q tour of The room
and finding everything in their usual order
resumed her seat.
She tried to throw off tho influence of he
dream, but she could not, and with sense
benumbed by the dread it had awakened i
her breast, she sat waiting for she kne,
not what.
: She was aroused late in the morning h
party of her friends, with their pastor
their head, who stood silent before hel
when she bade them enter.
She did not seem surprised to see then
and they were at a loss as to how they ha
best make known their errand.
"You would tell me of James," she snit
before their spokesman could frame Ii
} opening sentence.
Her voice sounded cold and hard. an
her face wore the calmness of despair.
"Iou must prepare yourself, my del
madam" began the clergyman, but she il
terrupted him, in the same measured tone
"He is dead. l know it. He came [
me this morning"
The men looked askance at each othe
Was the woman mad? Had she read the
message in their faces and her gsi,
.. driven her wild?
I Before the question Of her burning eye
= they could only repeat, with stilled hear
and white lips: HE is dead
!, The news spread rapidly for DR.. Edge
ton was we'll and widely known, and IL
/; house was soon filled with sympathizir
/ friends and neiehbors.
{ And there, with her sorrow, we will lea,
her, since our story is rather of the aigl
, han of her.
Liitla remains to be told. Two tsraaeE